Grill Off
Join us on Saturday at 2pm for the Championship Grill Off held at the QFC Main Stage!
Championship Grill-Off
Live for the thrill of the grill! On Saturday, July 18, at 2:00pm, the famous Kirkland Uncorked grilling competition returns to the QFC Main Stage! Professional chefs compete head-to-head with guests having the opportunity to taste some amazing dishes prepared during the competition. New in 2026 – the Kirkland Uncorked Grill Off is a qualifying event for the World Food Championships! The winner of this year’s Grill Off earns a Golden Ticket entry into the famous international culinary competition. Don’t miss this opportunity to watch and learn… and perhaps taste a bite of what our chefs prepare!
Learn about our 2026 chefs competing for a spot in the World Food Championships below!
MEET OUR CHEFS!
Chef Andy Nguyen
Known to many as the #Whizkiddd on social platforms. Chef Andy Nguyen, a Bellingham Native, loves to create memories around the dinner table. With a French trained background in Culinary & Pastry, for the past few years Nguyen has developed his palate to Competition BBQ. Competing across the country most recently being crowned World Food Live Fire Champions with Mike Johnson & George Morasci. Last Year crowned Grand Champions alongside George Morasci of Five Monkeys BBQ Sauce in 2025 in New York City.
Nguyen works for Thomas Cuisine, a food group based in Idaho, that focuses on #REALFOOD. “Working with Thomas Cuisine is a dream, as a chef the fuel behind the fire is always food and to work in an environment where we are always pushing the bar and providing healthy and nourishing food to our patrons is the cherry on top. The Culture also just wins”.
Nguyen’s desire to compete at Kirkland Uncorked is apart of a journey trying to be the first competitor to achieve an infamous WFC Golden Ticket in every category! Currently he has received golden tickets for (Live Fire, Bacon, Sandwich & Noodle).
Chef Priest
Chef Priest started Carnivorous 9 years ago on a whim. He’s always had a passion for cooking great food, and perfecting his technique by studying different styles of cooking, sourcing an array of seasonings, and producing some great rubs to give folks an amazing culinary experience!
Priest started as a backyard BBQr perfecting his craft. He focuses on true Texas style BBQ and can cook anything from Beef, Whole Hog, Fish, and Wild Game. Carnivorous’s intent is to provide consistent and quality smoked meats. Priest never got into it for the money but for the smiles he brings to the masses he cooks for.
Carnivorous has competed in several small competitions locally, taking three 1st place finishes and one 3rd place finish.
Chef My-Hanh
Chef My-Hanh has a vibrant and charismatic culinary force, bringing high energy and undeniable passion into every dish she create!
As a Vietnamese immigrant who made Seattle home in 1986, her cooking is deeply rooted in resilience, culture, and community. She specializes in South east Asian Pacific Comfort food – the kind that nourishes the working class – but with the refined touch, elevating each plate through bold, perfectly balanced flavors and a thoughtful technique. Her cuisine tells a story of heritage, heart and the art of transforming humble ingredients into something unforgettable.
Awards & Accolades
- 1st place winner vegan Lunar New Year cooking competition 2015
- Top 40 out of 36,000 casting Master Chef on Fox 2016
- 1st place winner round 1 of endless pastabilities on Food Network 2017
- 1st place winner of World Food Championship Qualifying event at the Bite club and underground eating experience in Yakima 2021.
Chef Mason
Chef Elton L. Mason is a Pacific Northwest native with a hands on, self taught approach to barbecue. With over 30 years in the construction industry, he brings patience, precision, and consistency into everything he cooks!
His barbecue journey is rooted in experimentation, developing his own sauces and refining techniques while smoking beef, pork, chicken. Chef Mason focuses on balance, allowing the natural flavor of the meat to come through while enhancing it with smoke and carefully crafted sauces.
His philosophy is simple: barbecue should complement the food, not overpower it. While not a professional chef, he brings passion, creativity, and a genuine love for the craft, always working to improve and refine his skills!
MEET THIS YEAR'S GRILL OFF HOST!
Chef Shawn Niles
Shawn Niles—known across kitchens, fire pits, and fine dining rooms as The Fat Pastor—is a private chef based in Yakima, Washington, whose culinary journey has taken him from the pressure of MasterChef to international acclaim. After Gordon Ramsay famously told him he was “born to cook,” Shawn set out to do just that – learning and cooking throughout Italy, Spain, and Portugal, including learning directly from the legendary Chef Massimo Bottura in Modena. His food style is best described as Global Comfort Food with a refined Pacific Northwest Italian twist—rich in soul, rooted in the land, and usually centered around fire and flavor.
In Yakima Valley Wine Country, Shawn is a culinary pioneer. He’s the founder of Bite Club, the nation’s first legal underground dining club, with a loyal membership of over 250 adventurous diners. He’s also the creator of Urban Kitchen, a free culinary and business school for underserved youth, which has become a launching pad for the next generation of food leaders. His talents have earned him multiple “Best Chef” honors, and his open-fire mastery made history when he became the first competitor to ever score a perfect 100 in the Live Fire Division of the World Food Championships.
Whether curating winemaker dinners, feeding celebrities and political figures, or filming his upcoming shows Wine Country Kitchen and Urban Kitchen, Shawn brings joy, excellence, and a deep sense of purpose to everything he cooks. His favorite kitchen companion is his son, Asher—MasterChef Junior finalist and fellow culinary phenom—proving that in the Niles household, flavor is legacy, and fire runs in the family.
Follow The Fat Pastor at:
Facebook: @TheFatPastorYakima
Instagram: @The.FatPastor
TikTok: @thefatpastoryakima
Website: www.thefatpastor.com
About World Food Championships
The World Food Championships (WFC) is the premier food sport competition globally. This multi-day, live culinary event showcases some of the world’s best cooks competing for food, fame, and fortune across ten categories: Bacon, Barbecue, Burger, Chef, Dessert, Live Fire, Rice, Sandwich, Seafood, and Vegetarian.
Each year, thousands of teams vie for a coveted Golden Ticket at 800+ official international qualifiers to earn their spot at WFC. Since its debut in 2012, the event has attracted participants from nearly 40 countries and every state in the U.S.
Learn More
Sign Up Today!
Registration is now open for craft vendor, food vendor and winery space at Kirkland Uncorked and Beachside Makers Market.
Apply now as space will sell out!
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